Portable washing machine



Nov. 27, 1962 M. SAM 3,065,621

' PORTABLE WASHING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1962 FIG. 1 34 11 U3; 1 H F21 U 10 I FIG. 2 .Z 1 o o :l=-* q 1 46 15 I L -l ulhffi BY FIG. 5 A

i azz' United States Patent 3,065,621 PORTABLE WASHING MACHINE Mahdi Sam, 854 W. Ainslie Ave, Chicago, Ill. Filed Apr. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 190,370 9 Claims. (Cl. 68-448) the class stated which is capable of performing any desired cycle or part thereof, e.g. wash, rinse, extract, with the rinse and extract repeated if desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which,

'taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses one preferredform which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with some parts sectioned, showing a washing machine incorporating the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a portion of FIG. 1 but showing the top assembly partially tilted toward open position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view but with the top assembly removed; and

FIG. 4 is a detail of the lower corner of the collapsible receptacle for the wash water.

Generally regarded the invention comprises a table supported on suitable legs which are detachable or collapsible. Thetable has an aperture from the margin of which depends a receptacle of waterproofed textile fabric or the like to receive the wash water, such receptacle being desirably cylindrical, with the bottom closed and top open, together with suitable means for preserving the general shape of the receptacle notwithstanding pressure exerted by the water contained therein. Mounted, as by hinges, on the top of the table is a base upon which is carried an electric motor and/ or reduction gear box. The output shaft of the gear box receives a spider from which depends a basket of perforate textile fabric, e.g. coarse netting, wherein the load is deposited. It will be understood that, during operation, the basket is located within the receptacle with at least the washing load submerged. Desirably the gear box includes mechanism designed to impart either oscillatory or uni-directional rotation to the output shaft together with suitable shifting means allowing selection of one or other as required during the washing, rinsing and extracting portions of the cycle. Moreover the gear box desirably includes speed-changing gearing in order that the oscillatory or uni-directional rotation of the basket may be at different selected speeds.

The base also carries a fitting and valve to receive water from a source of supply of hot and cold Water together with individual regulating valves and, if desired, a single, emergency shut-off valve; a pump and associated driving motor together with suitable intake and discharge conduits to drain the receptacle; control switches for the main driving motor and pump motor and a timer for automatically initiating and interrupting the several phases of a complete washing cycle.

The base is hinged or otherwise rendered movable relative to the table in order that the basket may be exposed for loading and unloading. Suitable means are provided for securing the base to the table during the active period of the machine.

Thus, turning to the drawing, I have shown a table 10 of wood or metal supported on four legs 11 of pipe or tubing terminating in crutch tips 13 to protect the floor 14, and to avoid shifting of the machine while running. The legs may be attached and detached for storage by means of thumb screws 15. Alternatively the legs may be individually hinged and braced, as is the case with collapsible bridge tables and the like, or they may be in pairs, suitably strutted and hinged and braced in the manner of picnic tables and the like.

The table 10 is provided with a central aperture 21 of a diameter corresponding with that of a receptacle 25 for the wash water, which is suspended from the mar gin of the aperture as by a ring 22 and screws 23. The receptacle 25 is of closely woven fabric, such as duck, suitably waterproofed, including a lateral wall 25a and a bottom wall 25b. if desired, the receptacle may be of flexible plastic. To avoid undesirable distortion of the receptacle due to the weight of the water a hoop or spider 27 is laid or sewn into the bottom thereof. While there will inevitably be some deformation of the bottom wall 25b the hoop or spider will limit the same essentially to the broken line of FIG. 1.

Mounted on a piano hinge 31 fastened to the table 10 is a rigid base 32 of transparent plastic or at least provided with a window for inspection of the washing procedure. When the base 32 is in operative position (FIG. 1) it is secured by one or more thumb screws 34 threadedly engaged in a nut or nuts 35 secured in the table 10. Desirably a gasket (not shown) is interposed between the ring 22 and the base 32 to insure against splashing of water out of the receptacle 25.

Positioned within the receptacle 25 is a basket 41 comprised of some suitable, perforate material capable of being collapsed, e.g. netting, which is suspended from a spider 43 in order that convenient access to the basket may be had. The spider is provided with a hub 44 for affixing the same to the shaft 46. This latter is the output end of driving means indicated generally at 48, comprising an electric motor 49 and a transmission assembly 51. Such assembly may take various forms including speed-reduction gearing and/ or means for causing either oscillatory or continuous rotation of the basket in various combinations under the control of a shift lever 52. If desired, the shifting may be under the control of suitable timing means. For example, the washing phase, using a detergent, is preferably done with oscillatory motion of the basket, followed by discharge of the dirty water by a pump to be described; an extraction cycle with the pump continuing to run, followed by one or more rinses accompanied by discharge of the rinse water and, finally, a spin dry cycle.

Water, either warm or hot, is fed to the receptacle 25 through a nozzle 55 held in the base 32 and controlled by a shut-off 56. Flow to the valve 56 is through hot and cold feed lines 57 and 58 each with its individual regulating valve connected in common to the valve 56. If desired these valves may be automatically controlled by solenoids to provide any desired mix. In such case it may be preferred to eliminate the valve 56.

A motor-driven discharge pump 61 is afiixed to the base 32 and has its intake in the form of a flexible tube 62 extending to the bottom of the receptacle 25. The discharge line 65 is carried to a convenient drain, eg a lavatory or water closet.

A timing switch 63 is mounted on the base 32 and is suitably connected to a control switch 64. Inasmuch as the invention lends itself to a variety of embodiments insofar as concerns manual and/or automatic control of the cycle it will be understood that the motor 48, transmission 51, pump 61, timing switch 63 and control switch 64 will be interconnected in a manner such that manual and/or automatic control of the several phases of the complete washing cycle will be accomplished in the intended manner. Since such modes of electrical interconnection are well known and form no part of the invention per se, elaboration is deemed non-essential.

From the foregoing it will have become clear that the machine is loaded by loosening the thumb screw or screws 34 whereupon the base 32 and its associated components may be raised to the position shown in FIG. 2 to expose the opening to the basket 41. After loading the base is returned, screwed down, and the washing cycle performed in any of the ways hereinbefore outlined. Unloading of the charge will have become obvious from the preceding portion of the description.

To store the machine the legs 11 are disconnected or folded and the receptacle 25 and basket 41 collapsed whereby the overall height of the machine becomes substantially less than When erected. If desired the underside of the table It} may be provided with clips with which the legs 11 may be engaged for storage. It is preferred that means be provided to render the thumb screws 15 captive in order that they will be conveniently available when the machine is to be erected.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A washing machine comprising a table having a plurality of detachably secured legs to support the same on the floor, a base pivotally connected to said table, said table having an opening therethrough, a collapsible, watertight receptacle suspended from the margin of said opening, a collapsible, perforate basket to receive the articles to be washed adapted to be positioned within said receptacle, driving means carried on said base including a shaft connected to said basket to agitate the articles, means for delivering water to said receptacle and means for discharging Water from said receptacle.

2. A washing machine comprising a table having collapsible means for supporting the same on the floor, said table having an opening therethrough, a collapsible, watertight receptacle suspended from the margin of said opening, a base movably connected to said table, a collapsible, perforate basket to receive the articles to be washed adapted to be positioned within said receptacle, and driving means for said basket to agitate the articles therein mounted on said base.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 where in said receptacle is waterproofed textile fabric.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said receptacle comprises flexible plastic sheet.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said driving means incorporates mechanism to impart rotational and oscillatory motion to said basket selectively.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said basket comprises netting.

7. The combination in accordance with claim 2 further characterized in that said basket is provided with a rigid spider joined to the upper periphery thereof and said driving means has an output shaft secured to said spider. 8. The combination in accordance with claim 2 where in said table supporting means is a plurality of rigid legs and there is provided a screw-threaded fastener securing each leg to the table.

9. A washing machine comprising a table having collapsible means for supporting the same on the floor, said table having an opening therethrough, a collapsible, watertight receptacle suspended from the margin of said opening, a base movably connected to said table, a collapsible, perforate basket to receive the articles to be Washed adapted to be positioned within said receptacle, means for supporting said basket on said table, means for delivering Water to said receptacle and means for discharging water from said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,632,407 Ienks June 14, 1927 2,538,095 Goldenberg Jan. 16, 1951 2,883,844 Gil Apr. 28, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N09 3 O65,62l November 27, 1962 W Mehdi Sam It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 35 for "table" read base Signed and sealed this 7th day of May 1963.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

